Significantly, the most recent EPA National Waste Database Report indicates that our recycling of municipal waste has increased from 9% in 1998 to 13% in 2001. While this is welcome progress, we have a long way to go to get to the national target of 35% recycling by 2013. However, the building blocks for achieving this are being put in place. We have provided €22 million from the environment fund over the last 12 months to support a range of local authority recycling projects, principally, bring banks, civic amenity sites and biological treatment facilities. Segregated collection services for household recyclables are now available to one third of all households in the State and are being extended all the time. Preparations are advancing for the establishment of a market development board for recyclable materials. Producer responsibility initiatives, which have been so successful in the areas of packaging waste and farm plastics, are being extended to a wide range of other areas, including construction and demolition waste, end-of-life vehicles, waste electrical equipment, newsprint and tyres. A producer responsibility unit will also be established within the EPA. My Department will also be publishing shortly a national biodegradable waste strategy which will provide the framework to facilitate the diversion of 65% of biodegradable waste from landfill by 2013.